Desperately Evading Edward
by EndlessWire94
Summary: A follow-up story to "James the Second Best".


**Here we are: my last request story for tate310. I do not own or endorse Thomas.**

James was feeling tired and unhappy. Thanks to the vain engine's need for glory, Edward had damaged a cylinder and been sent for repairs, leaving James to do his work as well as his own. "It wasn't fair on Edward," he sighed to Donald and Douglas, "especially since I took the brunt of the crash."

"Och," remarked Douglas, "at least only one o' ye had tae go to yon Steamworks. Wha' would the Fat Controller do with _two_ engines oot of action?"

"Aye, James," agreed Donald. "Just be glad that bump didna leave _ye_ with anythin' mair than a minor - if a wee bit _comical_ - derailment. Ye got off lucky, as far as I'm concerned." But the Caledonian twins' encouragement didn't brighten James' spirits, and he puffed morosely away.

The coal trucks James was delivering to the mainland had overheard the three engines conversation, as well as sensed James' discomfort - the perfect opportunity to make matters worse. "Better look sharp, rusty red!" one jeered, "or you won't get off so lucky next time!"

"Yeah!" sniggered another. "Old unreliable might just come up on ya when you're not lookin'!"

"Oh, shut up!" barked James. "Edward would never bump me on purpose!"

"Ah," said a third truck slyly, "but what if he does it by mistake? You know how those old timers are!"

"I don't believe you for a second!" James snapped, and gave the trucks a sharp jostle. But his defiant actions only served as a mask to his new worries: what if the trucks were right?

* * *

><p>Despite their differences, and despite James' occasional rudeness to him, Edward considered James one of his closest friends. It was therefore a surprise to him that, when he at last returned to Tidmouth, James wasn't there to greet him. "Where could he be?" Edward wondered aloud. "I thought James, of all engines, would be delighted to see me back."<p>

"We all thought so too, Edward," replied Henry. "But he asked the Fat Controller if he could pull the 'Flying Kipper' tonight, in my place."

"The 'Kipper'?!" repeated Edward, shocked. "But James _hates_ that train!" He spent the rest of the night wondering what could have gotten into his friend.

* * *

><p>A few days later, James was to take some empty trucks to the Other Railway, and then return with loaded ones. Edward was collecting his usual passengers from Wellsworth Station, when he saw the red modified Class 28 approaching. The blue "Larger Seagull" whistled a cheerful greeting; but James didn't reply, and accelerated out of sight.<p>

Edward sighed sadly to himself: what was driving James to avoid him so?

At Suddery, Edward met up with Douglas, who was pulling a trainload of china clay, and confided his feelings to him. "James has been acting so strangely, ever since I came back," he lamented. "He's always so tense and rigid around me - never even replies to a simple 'hello'! Either that or he jumps and runs off."

"I know what ye mean," Douglas replied. "It's as if he's afraid of ye; but fer just what reason why, I canna say. But, ye should know," he went on kindly, "that it's quite guilty he was feelin' about yer accident, Edward. If I were ye, I'd just give James some time - he'll come 'round."

Edward smiled gratefully. "Thanks for the support, Douglas. Afraid of me, eh?" he remarked, with an offhand chuckle. "Must be an after-effect of that crash!"

"Aye, that sounds aboot right!" laughed Douglas.

* * *

><p>Neither Edward nor Douglas could know that this was just the case with James: he had give into the trucks' teasing, and actually started to believe that he and Edward would wind up in another accident if he spent too much time around the old engine. "He might not bump me," he muttered agitatedly, as he crossed the Vicarstown Rolling Bridge, "but I'm still not taking any chances!" As he marshalled his return train into place, he whispered to the trucks, "Would you give me a bump down Gordon's Hill and tell no-one I asked you?"<p>

The trucks whispered amongst themselves, then turned back to James. "Anything you say!" they said eagerly.

James set off, smiling confidently to himself. "I'll use their weight to shoot us straight through Wellsworth, and then I'll stop 'em just as easy as you please! I shan't have to see anymore of Edward today - or ever again, for that matter!" But every wise engine knows that you cannot trust trucks; and if James hadn't been so paranoid, he could have remembered that...

* * *

><p>They made good time as they headed back across the island, and as they crested Gordon's Hill, James' driver, fireman, and guard started to pin down their respective brakes. This was the signal for the trucks. "Go on! Go on!" they screeched, surging forward into James with such an impact, that it knocked his crew right out of the cab. By the time they had picked themselves up, the train was careering out of control down the hill.<p>

Poor James was terrified: he had no way of warning other engines and vehicles out of danger; and even the guard's brake wasn't enough to slow the train down. "Stop, stop!" James wailed, but the trucks took no notice.

Edward had just returned to Wellsworth when James came racing through, with the trucks rattling and laughing behind him. He watched in horror as the train hurtled out of sight. Then, just beyond the station, there came a loud crash: James had derailed at the bend, with his trucks, laughing hysterically, piled up in a heap behind him.

The signalman set all his approach signals to "danger", while the stationmaster sent Edward to fetch Rocky. They returned with a very grim-looking Fat Controller aboard. "What on Earth were you thinking, James?!" he demanded. "You've had your fair share of accidents with trucks before; but to _ask_ them to bump you - that just takes the biscuit!"

"I'm so sorry, Sir," faltered James. "I just didn't want to run into Edward again."

"What?!" Edward was astonished - Douglas had been right! "But_ why_ would you want to avoid me, James? I thought we were friends!"

"I guess I started trusting the trucks a little too much, even before now," James admitted. "They wouldn't stop teasing me about that poster incident, and said that if I wasn't so careful, it could happen again. And I...well...I did the rest," he concluded sadly.

Edward smiled kindly. "James," he said, "you shouldn't have trusted the trucks; but you can always trust _me_. I know it was just an accident; and I might have gotten off worse from it, but that's no reason to try to evade me! Remember, I don't often have accidents to begin with!"

James grinned ruefully. "I was worried _I'd_ get off worse, if you ever did. _And_ I guess I took your age a bit too seriously..._again!"_

Edward chuckled. "It's perfectly alright, James: I'm used to it by now."

"I'm really sorry for all this, Edward. Can we be friends again, please?"

"Of course!"

* * *

><p>James had to go to the Steamworks for light repairs; but when at last he returned, he and Edward made a pact never to hide their discomfort from each other again. No matter what happened, James knew it was best to trust his true blue friend - especially rather than troublesome trucks!<p> 


End file.
